atkinson



(No Model.) '2 Sheets-Shet 1.

. J. ATKINS-ON.

ADJUSTABLE COLLAR.

No. 569,534. Patented 001;. 13, 1896.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. ATKINSON. ADJUSTABLE COLLAR.

Patented Oct. 13, 1896.

Wifnaasai Nrrnn STATES P TENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH ATKINSON, CF FLORENCE, CANADA.

ADJUSTABLE COLLAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 569,534, dated October13, 1896.

Application filed March 23, 1896. Serial No. 584,579. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH ATKINSON, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, and a resident of Florence, in the Province of Ontario, Canada,have invented a new and useful Adjust-able Collar, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a device which is placed around the neck ofthe animal, fits against the shoulders, and forms the bearing againstwhich the animal presses in drawing the load, the object contemplatedbeing the provision of a simple, inexpensive, and efficient device forthis purpose and one by which the same device may be adapted to animalshaving necks of different width and different depth between the throatand the back of the neck; and this invention consists of the improvedconstruction and combination of parts of the same, as will behereinafter first fully set forth and described, and then pointed out inthe claims.

In order that my improvement may be better understood, I haveillustrated in the accompanyin g drawings a horse-collar embodying myinvention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of a horse-collar. Fig. 2 is across-sectional view on the line 00 0c of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and t areenlarged detail perspective views of the straps and couplings orcoupling-plates. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view on the line a :0 ofFig. 1.

A A designate the body sides of the collar, and B the hames, both ofwhich are preferably formed of wood; but they may be formed of anysuitable material, and said hames B may be formed integral with orsecured to said body sides A, as found most suitable or convenient.

C C and D D designate means by which the breaststrap and tug-strap,respectively, (not shown,) may be secured to the hames B.

E designates a bow or block which is adjustable vertically or lengthwiseof the collar, which bow, when properly adjusted, is firmly held inplace between and secured to the body sides A near their upper ends by abolt F. The object of making this bow or block E adjustable verticallyor lengthwise of the collar is to adapt the one collar to necks ofdifferent horses, and particularly to adapt the collar to the depth ofthe neck or the portion between the throat and the back of the neck.

G G designate tongues or tenons with which the bow or block E isprovided, which tongues are fitted to and engage with the grooves ormortises H H, formed in the adj acent faces of the body sides A of thecollar or hames, either or both, as preferred, or vice versa. The objectof this construction is to stiffen the collar, to relieve the bolt Ffrom a portion of the strain, and to prevent the body sides A of thecollar from twisting out of line. The result of this tongue-and-grooveconstruction is that one bolt F has been found sufficient to firmlysecure and hold the bow E and body sides A of the collar together and inplace, whereas if these tongues G and F would be required to attain thisresult. This bow or block E is preferably formed of three or moresections 6 e 6 the central one e of which is removable to permit theinsertion of a larger or smaller section 6 to adapt the upper end of thecollar to the width of the animals neck at the top.

and engage with pin-holes 6 formed in the sections 6'' e 6 Thisconstruction is for the purpose of holding the sections of the block Ein place or in line to avoid and completely prevent their accidentaldisplacement and to facilitate the insertion or removal of a larger orsmaller central section.

J J designate clasps which encircle the upper ends of the sides A of thecollar and hames B to stiffen and strengthen the same and to preventthem from splitting.

K K designate metallic straps, one of which is rigidly secured to thelower end of each body side A of the collar.

M N designate couplings or coupling-plates, one of which is hinged orotherwise secured to each of the metallic straps K K. One of thesecoupling-plates, preferably the lower one N, is formed in two parts N Nwhich are pivotally or otherwise connected together; and the other oneof these coupling-plates, preferably the upper one M, is formed with theside flanges M and with the elongated slots M and the adjacent faces ofthese coupling-plates M N are each formed with I I designate dowel-pinswhich are fitted to grooves H were not used two or more bolts alternatecorresponding projections and recesses M and N respectively.

L L designate eyebolts which project through bolt-h0les 1 and throughthe elongated slots 1 2 of the coupling-plates N M, respectively.

L L designate eyes, one of which is formedon the upper end of each ofthe bolts L.

O O designate pins, one of which is fitted to and inserted in each ofthe eyes L of the bolts L.

T T designate eccentric clamps, one of which is pivotally secured to thelower end of each of the eyebolts L, so that when the coupling-plates MN, bolts L, and clamps T are adjusted together, as shown in Fig. 1, thecoupling-plates M N are rigidly clamped and held together between saidpins 0 and clamps T.

The elongated slots M in the upper coupling-plate M permit theadjustment of the latter lengthwise on the lower plate N, that is,whenthe clamps T are adjusted to the position shown by dotted line inFig. 1. This permits the collar to be widened at the throat or lower endto adapt the one collar to necks of different widths, and when properlyset is rigidly held in this position by adjusting the eccentrics T tothe position shown by solid line in Fig. 1. These coupling-plates M N,however, may be held together by any means or in any manner, as foundmost suitable or convenient, and the bow or block E may be formed of anysuitable size or shape and of wood, metal, or other suitable materialand secured to the body sides A by any means or in any manner, as foundmost suitable or convenient.

-IVl1ile I have found by experiment that the construction herein shownand described gives the best results, at the same time I do not wish tolimit myself to the details thereof, nor to the means for holding thecoupling-plates M N together, nor to the means for securing the bow orblock E to the body sides A, as they may be modified in various wayswithout departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In acollar, the block, E,composed of the sections, e, 6 e in which pinholes, e*, are

formed and the pins, I, I, in combination with the sides, A, A, andhames, B, B, rigidly secured thereto or formed integral therewith, andmeans for holding these parts at the position to which they may beadjusted, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The adjustable block, E, composed of the sections, 6, c and, 6 formedwith pinholes, c and with the tongues or tenons, G, G, and the pins, I,I, in combination with the sides, A, A, in which the recesses, H, areformed, and the hames, B, B, rigidly secured to or formed integral withthe sides, A, A, and means for holding the parts at the position towhich they may be adjusted, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

3. The adjustable block, E, formed in three sections, 6, e c and withthe tongues or tenons, G, G, and the pins, I, in combination with thebody sides, A,A, in which the grooves or recesses, II, II, are formed,the clasps, J, J, and bolt, F, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

at. The couplings, N, M, one of which is formed in two parts, N, Nhinged or pivotally secured together, and the other of which is formedwith side flanges, M, and with the elongated slots, M and each formedwith alternate corresponding projections and recesses, N and, Mrespectively, and means for holding the couplings at the position towhich they are adjusted, in combination with the straps, K, K, and bodysides, A, A, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The couplings, N, M, one of which is formed in two parts, N, N hingedor pivotally secured together, and the other of which is formed withside flanges, M, and with elongated slots, M and each formed withalternate corresponding projections and recesses, N and, 31respectively, the eyebolts, L, pins, 0, and eccentric clamps, T, incombination with the straps, K, K, and the body sides, A, A,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed in the presence of the twoundersigned witnesses.

JOSEPH ATKINSON. IV'itnesses P. J. EDMUNDS, S. MOBAIN. Y

